Low density, substantially closed-cell, rigid polyurethane foams utilizing water as a blowing agent and TDA-initiated polyols are known in the art. However, in the part when preparing these foams one skilled in the art was aware that there was a trade-off between physical characteristics. If dimensional stability was considered paramount, non-friability was sacrificed to some extent and vice versa. In some instances, a foam formulation would exhibit both good dimensional stability and friability characteristics after being allowed to cure for periods of 24 hours or more. The foams exhibiting the long cure time are undesirable from a production standpoint. It is the object of this invention to develop low density, substantially closed-cell, water-blown foams that exhibit good physical properties without extended cure times. It was found that foams having these characteristics could be produced with TDA polyols having relatively low hydroxyl numbers, but greater than 220, thereby reducing isocyanate consumption.
The combination of TDA and glycerine polyol blends reacted with polymethylene polyphenylpolyisocyanates (polymeric-MDI) to make low density, substantially closed-cell, water-blown foams with generally good physical properties is known. The object of the present invention was to develop foam formulations with improved initial surface friability while retaining good physical properties. It was found that these objectives could be obtained using TDA-initiated polyether polyols having hydroxyl numbers greater than 220, thereby reducing overall isocyanate consumption.